Champagne Friday: Reporting from Champagne! The First Day at Aspasie

By: Gary Westby | K&L Champagne Buyer

The first day in Champagne at Champagne Aspasie

I am very lucky on this trip to have my father Jim with me. He and I left for France on Easter Sunday and arrived on Monday, which--no surprise--is a holiday in France! Our friends the Aristons of Champagne Aspasie invited us to visit them and stay for dinner, so as soon as we got off the plane we drove straight there.

Paul-Vincent Ariston had arranged a tasting of the base wines from the 2012 harvest for us, and we had a chance to learn the crazy story of this unique season in Champagne. This vintage had every challenge that a vigneron could face: freezing temperatures in the winter (as low as -20 centigrade) killed vines, spring frosts followed destroying many of the fresh buds, cold and rain during the flowering stunted grape growth, and horrible weather in July produced so much mud that it was often impossible to get into the vineyard to treat the vines against mildew. All of this lead to drastically lower yields, but miraculously the weather turned around in August and the grapes came out perfectly ripe, with plenty of acidity, but very scarce. Aspasie harvested more than 1/3 less in 2012 than average.

The base wines from Aspasie, as well as the other producers we have visited have been some of the best I have had. They are concentrated and quite full bodied, but have immense freshness and transparency. After tasting with Paul, we went to the winery were he moved more than 20 full palettes of Champagne to get our prize- a bottle of his 1983, which he disgorged manually, on the spot for us to enjoy. You can watch him doing it in today's video.

Try the Ariston "Aspasie Brut Prestige" Champagne ($39.99, $84.99 1.5L) with the fresh asparagus of the season!

Paul’s father Remy made this bottle, as Paul was only 11 years old! It was a sunny year with lots of grapes, and Remy Ariston worked day and night to load the press. It was still super fresh at 30 years old, and full of honeyed bread aroma and flavor. The wine had no sugar added to it as it was disgorged on the spot, and didn’t need any. We had it with Marie-France Ariston’s incredible white Asparagus with homemade mayonnaise… I was over the moon for it all.

We just received a new shipment from Aspasie, and with Asparagus season in full swing, I suggest you try this pairing your self with the Aspasie Brut Prestige ($39.99, $84.99 1.5L). This old vine blend is rich without being at all sweet, and I am sure you will love it!

A toast to you!

-Gary

Celebrate Mike Grgich's 90th Birthday with 2 Special Tastings at K&L in April!

Miljenko “Mike” Grgich celebrates 90th birthday this April. A native of Croatia, Mike arrived in Napa 1958 and worked at Souverain, Christian Brothers, Beaulieu Vineyards, Robert Mondavi Winery, and Chateau Montelena, where he crafted the Chardonnay that triumphed in the 1976 Paris Tasting, before founding Grgich Hills in 1977 in Rutherford.

Happy 90th Birthday Mike!

Mike Grgich, winemaker and founder of the famous Grgich Hills Estate, turned 90 years old on April 1st of this year. It was Mike Grgich, then winemaker for Chateau Montelena, who crafted the 1973 Chardonnay that 'beat' the French competition in the historic Paris Tasting of 1976. To celebrate this milestone birthday, K&L is hosting two special Grgich Hills Estate tastings in April in our Northern California stores. We invite you to join the party! Current releases of Grgich Hills' Chardonnay, Fume Blanc, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon among other wines will be featured at both events. Come and raise a glass to one of Napa's great winemaking legends.

Thursday April 18th (5pm-6pm): Special Grgich Hills Tasting at K&L Redwood City ($5) rsvp on facebook 

Friday April 19th (5pm-6pm): Special Grgich Hills Tasting at K&L San Francisco ($5) rsvp on facebook 

For additional information on this event and other upcoming special events and tastings taking place at any of our locations, visit K&L Local Events on KLWines.com.

More About Mike, from Grgich Hills Estate

Mike's life sounds like a Hollywood movie, journeying from a peasant upbringing in communist Yugoslavia, to winemaker winning the Paris Tasting, and then becoming a winery owner in the Napa Valley. Mike arrived in the Napa Valley in 1958 after a four year journey from Croatia and worked for some of Napa's iconic wineries: Souverain, Christian Brothers, Beaulieu Vineyards and Robert Mondavi Winery, before becoming winemaker at Chateau Montelena. At Montelena, he crafted the Chardonnay that beat the best white wines in France in the now-famous 1976 Paris Tasting, helping to shatter the myth that only French soil could produce the world’s greatest wines and drawing international attention to Napa Valley wines.

Judges deliberating during the Paris Tasting of 1976. Image courtesy of Grgich Hills Estate.

On Independence Day 1977, Mike and Austin Hills broke ground in Rutherford to build Grgich Hills Cellar. Since starting Grgich Hills, Mike has continued receiving international awards for his wines and has been recognized for being a leader in sustainable vineyard practices.  Mike celebrated his 50th year of making wine in 2008, the same year he was inducted into the Vintners Hall of Fame. Today, all of Grgich Hills’ 366 acres are certified organic and the winery has converted to solar power and is completely estate grown.  

Check out the 2009 Grgich Hills "Estate" Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($49.99) and other Grgich Hills Estate wines in stock now at K&L.His influence has been so far-reaching that his famous beret, the suit case he carried to America, and a bottle of the 1973 Chardonnay that won the Paris Tasting are on display in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History’s first major exhibition on food history—“FOOD: Transforming the American Table 1950–2000”.  In addition, a Croatian TV documentary about his life, “Like the Old Vine,” premiered at the Napa Valley Film Festival in November 2012.

Visit www.grgich.comto see all of the winery's events, including a special Gala on April 13^th, and the inaugural release of the Paris Tasting Chardonnay, crafted by Mike Grgich in the same style as the Chardonnay that won the 1976 Paris Tasting. Given Mike’s proven track record of creating elegant wines that improve with age, this Chardonnay is sure to become a collectable. The winery will launch a birthday cake decorating contest with the chance to win a trip to Napa Valley and celebrate Mike’s 90 years of accomplishments with the famed winemaker.

Grgich Hills Estate, located in Rutherford, CA, was founded in 1977 by Vintner Hall of Fame inductee Miljenko “Mike” Grgich and Austin Hills after Mike’s Chardonnay outscored the best of France in the now-famous 1976 Paris Tasting.

Today, this iconic winery farms 366 acres naturally, without artificial pesticides or herbicides, and uses its passion and art to handcraft food-friendly, balanced and elegant wines. Mike is assisted by his daughter, Violet Grgich, Vice President of Operations, and his nephew, Ivo Jeramaz, Vice President of Vineyards and Production. For more information, visit www.grgich.com.

The BDX Files: Tasting with the Greats at K&L

 The Greats: K&L Co-Founder Clyde Beffa Jr (center) with visiting Bordeaux negociant and special guest Christophe Reboul (left), and Ralph Sands, K&L Senior Bordeaux Specialist (right).

By: Gary Westby | K&L Champagne Buyer (& Bordeaux lover)

This past Saturday at the Redwood City K&L we hosted a special Bordeaux tasting. As usual, K&L Senior Bordeaux Specialist Ralph Sands was behind the bar to talk about the wines, but in addition we had the added wisdom of K&L owner and principal Bordeaux buyer Clyde Beffa Jr on hand. As if that wasn't enough, Mr. Christophe Reboul, owner of both Chateau Gigault in Blaye and the negociant house the Wine Merchant was the guest star. We had a fantastic line up of Bordeaux to taste, mostly from the outstanding 2009 vintage. Everyone left the tasting with a smile on their face!

2011 l'Avocat Blanc, Graves ($14.99) is delicious and ready to drink now.We started the tasting with the 2011 l'Avocat Blanc, Graves ($14.99) from the Allison family. This wine is composed of 50% Semillon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Sauvignon Gris. It had one of the most unique noses that I have encountered tasting white Bordeaux. The racy Sauvignon Blanc gives the wine a smoky aroma that reminded me of Islay peat! On the palate this wine is very bright and light, and would make a great aperitif or partner for goat cheese crostini.

My favorite wine of the tasting was the 2010 de Fieuzal Blanc, Pessac-Léognan ($58.99 pre-arrival) and it reminded me just how good top white Bordeaux can be. White Burgundy on this level is more than twice the price, and tasting this inspired me to pull out a bottle of 2001 from my cellar the next day. I was surprised to find that it would be very difficult to tell which was the older wine, since these great whites age so slowly! The 2010 will certainly have a very long drinking window, and I would bet on it making a great 20 year old in 2030. It had an intense honey, lanolin and barrel spice nose, and was rich, broad and powerful on the palate. The finish was packed with complexity and went on forever- the tasting could have ended here and I would have been happy! Luckily, we had a bunch of great reds to taste...

Clyde & Ralph pose for the paparazzi.Our first red was the 2009 de Birot, Côtes de Bordeaux ($14.99) and it showed just how deep the 2009 vintage is. Most collectors will clamor for the top wines in this vintage, but the real excitement for me with a vintage like 2009 comes from the everyday priced wines like this. Composed of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, this dark wine has lots of herbal intrigue on the nose and excellent, grain free texture. If you are looking for good, dry red for the table that won’t knock you out with too much alcohol, try out the Birot!

I love the Graves region for value priced Bordeaux and the 2009 l'Avocat Rouge ($17.99) is a great example. Composed of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc it has classic proportions for this area. The powerful nose is full of plum fruit backed up by gravelly earth. In the mouth it has a full, rich texture and a hint of chocolate on the palate. This is a great 2009 to drink while you are waiting for your classified growths to mature. That being said, I think this wine has plenty of stuffing to develop nicely for at least 10 years.

Futures Alert! The 2010 Gigault "Cuvée Viva" Premières Côtes de Blaye (93 JS, 90 WS) is available on Prearrival ($18.99; $39.99 1.5L). By far one of the best deals from the 2010 vintage, this opportunity will not last long. Click to buy now!It is a rare treat to have the owner of a Chateau in Bordeaux pouring his wines for you in Redwood City, and we enjoyed every minute of our time with Mr. Christophe Rebaul and every sip of his 2009 Gigault "Cuvée Viva" Premières Côtes de Blaye ($21.99, due in April). This cheerful, easy to drink blend of 99% Merlot and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon was plump and full of cinnamon and carob flavors. Rich, sweet fruited wines like this are fantastic to drink now and blow the notion of all Bordeaux being expensive out of the water.

2009 Coufran, Haut-Médoc ($24.99) is in stock now.We have a few house favorites when it comes to Bordeaux here at K&L, and the 2009 Coufran, Haut-Médoc ($24.99) confirms why we love this property. For the Haut-Medoc, this wine has a huge proportion of Merlot at 85% and just a touch of Cabernet Sauvignon at 15%. The wine has a big, ripe, plumy nose, but is very elegant in the mouth. It reminded me very much of old fashioned Pomerol; medium bodied, pure, racy Merlot without the extraneous sugar and oak. At the price, too much of this wine will be consumed to young, but the patient will be rewarded with a great experience at a very small price. If you want to see how they age, we also have the 2003 in stock!

Moving over to the right bank we tasted the 2009 Montviel, Pomerol ($39.99). This flashy right bank wine is composed of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. The Montviel is a dark wine with a toasty oak nose and plenty of dried plum fruit on the palate. While modern, big and tannic, it still has Pomerol soul and no residual sugar to ruin it for the table. I am sure the extroverted oak will win over lots of folks who like a big wine.

Staying with the right bank, we tasted the 2009 Monbousquet, St-Emilion ($49.99). The Perse family makes wines that the critics love, and this blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon has won all kinds of accolades. The color is nearly black, and the aromatics are dominated by fancy, expensive oak. This very rich, heavy St. Emilion has plenty of sweet dried fruit on the palate and a big tannic finish. I think it would be a serious contender in a flight of $100+ Napa proprietary reds.

2009 Alter Ego de Palmer, Margaux ($84.99) is in stock now.Switching back to the Medoc, we tasted Ralph’s number one wine of the 2009 vintage (and our top seller of the day), the Alter Ego de Palmer, Margaux ($84.99). Palmer makes the most sensual of all Bordeaux, and this blend of 51% Merlot and 49% Cabernet Sauvignon will add to their legend. This has so much class and balance that it could easily pass for the first wine! The Alter Ego has sexy, bright Margaux aromatics of tense currant dusted with chocolate. On the palate it has a velvety texture that is almost perfect now, but will no doubt get even better with time. This great bottle shows incredible focus on the finish- I can’t wait to taste it again when it turns 10!

Moving up the Medoc, we tasted the 2009 Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac ($89.99) next, and the contrast between the two great Medoc communes could not have been starker. This blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc is brooding, backward Pauillac for the long haul. The nose is extraordinary: lead pencil, black currant and high-class gravelly earth are all in harmony. On the palate the wine is tense, packed and unyielding. The finish is powerfully tannic but also powerfully complex, hinting at the bright future that this wine has. This wine is from the old school--not a 2009 to open early--but the patient will be rewarded, as this Grand-Puy-Lacoste has the structure to unfold like the 1982 has. I am happy to see that wines like this are still being made in Bordeaux.

Ralph Sands hosts monthly Bordeaux tastings at K&L's Redwood City headquarters.

Get the 2010 Poujeaux, Moulis ($34.99 on pre-arrival) before it sells out!Bordeaux insiders usually snap up our allocation of Chateau Poujeaux before it touches the shelf. It is a property that makes serious wine every year and is a great property to collect vertically. The 2010 Poujeaux, Moulis ($34.99 pre-arrival) is true to form, and a great cellar candidate. It is composed of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petite Verdot. When I first tasted this wine in Bordeaux during the enpremieur campaign in 2011, I found it very elegant and laid back next to its peers. Tasting it again among 2009’s showed me just how much structure these 2010’s have- it is a powerhouse! It has an opaque, black-purple color and strong currant and cola Cabernet flavor wrapped tightly to its high acid and high tannin spine. If you have room in your cellar, this is a spectacular deal. If you are looking for something to drink in the next couple of years, keep looking!

No Bordeaux tasting should end on a tannic note, and luckily Clyde and Ralph had the 2010 Petit Guiraud, Sauternes (375ml) ($13.99) to finish out the afternoon. This very open knit Sauternes is composed of 65% Semillon and 35% Sauvignon Blanc. I loved the honey and white flower that were present both on the nose and the palate. While this is not concentrated or profound, it tastes great and has the balance for current drinking. Like all good dessert wine, the Petit Guiraud is sweet without being cloying.

Ending on a sweet note: Clyde tastes the 2010 Petite Guiraud Sauternes.

I hope that you can join us for our next tasting. If you are interested, please check out K&L Local Events on KLWines.com for upcoming Bordeaux tastings and other events. They are always a lot of fun!

–Gary